Questions to Ask Before Moving Into an Apartment
Questions to ask before moving into an apartment, for the landlord or leasing agent in the days between choosing a place and carrying the first box in. Most belong before you sign the lease, the last point before moving in to an apartment at which a bad answer can still send you elsewhere, and a few are for key day itself. They run from the full move-in cost and the lease through the unit, repairs, the building and its rules to getting the deposit back.
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The questions
Each question, and why to ask it
Rent and lease
How much do I need to pay in total before move-in day, and what is each charge for?
Why ask it
First month, last month, the deposit, a pet fee, an application fee and key or parking deposits can add up to several times the rent. Ask for one figure and the list behind it, because the advertised rent is rarely the number you need in the bank.
Which utilities are included, and what do the others cost here in winter and summer?
Why ask it
Ask for actual amounts from this building rather than an estimate. A drafty top-floor unit with electric heat can cost more to run in January than the gap in rent between two apartments. Some utility companies will tell you an address's average bill if you call, so get the name of the one that serves the building.
How much is the deposit, where is it held, and what would you deduct for?
Why ask it
The rules on where a deposit is kept, how large it can be and how fast it comes back differ by state and country, so ask how it works here. Then ask for examples of what they treat as normal wear and what they bill as damage, because deductions are argued on that line.
How much has the rent gone up at renewal for tenants here over the last two years?
Why ask it
Today's price covers the first year and this answer covers the second. Ask for real figures on a unit like this one, and whether any local rule limits increases where you live. A vague reply proves nothing, but it is a reason to budget for a rise before you get attached to the place.
How long is the lease, and what happens if I need to leave early?
Why ask it
Get the specifics: the notice you must give, any break fee, whether you keep paying until a new tenant is found, and whether you may pass the lease to someone else. A job offer in another city does not wait for the end date, and this clause sets the price of taking it.
What fees are charged every month on top of the rent?
Why ask it
Trash collection, pest control, an amenity or technology package, a parking space and pet rent often arrive as separate lines. A sample monthly statement for a unit like this one shows the real figure, which the listing does not.
How is rent paid, when does it count as late, and what does a late payment cost?
Why ask it
Find out the due date, whether there is a grace period and whether the payment portal adds a charge for using a card. If your pay lands after the due date, raise it before you sign: some landlords will move the date for you, and far fewer will once a late fee has been charged.
What do you need from me to approve the application, and is the application fee refundable?
Why ask it
The details to get are the income they want to see against the rent, what the credit check looks at and whether a co-signer is accepted. Knowing the bar first saves paying a fee on an application that was never going to pass, and tells you which documents to have ready so the unit is not lost while you hunt for a pay stub.
Is renters insurance required here, and what does the policy have to include?
Why ask it
Some leases require a policy with a set liability minimum, want the landlord named on it and ask for proof before key day. Get the exact figures first, so the policy you buy is one the office accepts. Required or not, ask what the building's own insurance would do for your belongings after a fire or a burst pipe upstairs, and expect to hear that it covers the building.
What happens when the lease ends: does it renew, go month to month, or stop?
Why ask it
Some leases renew automatically unless you give notice by a set date, and a month-to-month rate can sit well above the lease rate. Find the notice deadline in the document and put it in your calendar the day you sign.
Is there a move-in special, such as a free month, and how is it written into the lease?
Why ask it
Discounts can be spread across the term or taken off a single month, and some leases ask for the money back if you leave early. The follow-up that matters is which figure your renewal starts from: the discounted rent or the full one.
If I sign with roommates, is each of us liable for the whole rent?
Why ask it
On many joint leases the landlord can pursue any one tenant for everything owed, including a share somebody else stopped paying. Ask how a roommate is replaced or removed mid-lease and what happens to their part of the deposit.
Can I take a copy of the lease home to read before I sign?
Why ask it
Pressure to sign on the spot is pressure to agree to pages you have not read. Take it home, read the clauses on renewal, entry and fees, and send your questions by email so the answers are on record.
The unit
Can I see the actual unit I would be renting?
Why ask it
A model apartment can be on a different floor, with a different layout and newer finishes. If your unit is still occupied, ask for a showing before you sign. If that is refused, ask to have the unit number and the condition it will be handed over in written into the lease.
How long did the last tenant stay, and do you know why they moved out?
Why ask it
Several short stays in a row point at something: noise, damp, a difficult neighbor, slow repairs. A landlord should not hand over anyone's personal details, so settle for the length of stay and a general reason, then try the same question on whoever lives next door.
What is above, below and next to this unit?
Why ask it
A bar, an elevator shaft, the laundry room, a garage door or a gym with free weights all decide how the place sounds at night. Come back in the evening if you can and stand in the bedroom with the windows shut.
What will be cleaned, painted or fixed before I move in, and by what date?
Why ask it
A carpet clean, fresh paint or a new faucet is easy to promise on a tour and easy to forget once the lease is signed. Get the list in an email with a date, and walk the unit against it before you accept the keys.
Which appliances come with the apartment, and who replaces one that breaks?
Why ask it
A washer or microwave left behind by an earlier tenant may not be the landlord's to repair, even though it was there when you arrived. Having the included appliances named in the lease settles the argument before a fridge dies in August.
How is the apartment heated and cooled, and do I control the thermostat?
Why ask it
In some buildings the heat goes on and off for everyone on set dates, and the top floor and the ground floor live in different climates. If there is no cooling, check whether window units are permitted and who pays to run them.
Is the hot water from a tank in the unit or shared with the building, and does it run out?
Why ask it
One long shower can empty a small tank, which matters most with roommates on the same morning schedule. Run the hot water on the tour and count how long it takes to warm up.
Which internet providers can I choose from here, and is any service bundled into the rent?
Why ask it
Some buildings are wired for a single provider, and some include a package you pay for whether you use it or not. If you work from home, a current tenant's evening speed is worth more than the brochure, and so is checking your phone signal in every room.
How much storage comes with the unit, and is there somewhere for a bike or spare boxes?
Why ask it
Closets are the thing people forget to open on a tour. If a basement locker or bike room is offered, ask what it costs and whether anything kept there is covered if it floods or is broken into.
Repairs and entry
Who manages the building, and how do I report a repair at ten on a Saturday night?
Why ask it
You want a named route: a number, a portal, an on-call contractor. If the answer is one person's cell phone, ask what happens when that person is away, because a burst pipe does not wait for Monday.
What was the last repair in this unit, and how long did it take?
Why ask it
This turns a promise about responsiveness into a checkable fact. A landlord who can name the job and the timeline is telling you how they operate. Vagueness, or a claim that nothing has ever needed fixing, is worth checking with a current tenant.
If the heat or the water is out for days, what do you do for tenants in the meantime?
Why ask it
Answers run from a space heater left at the door to a hotel night to nothing at all. What you are owed in that situation depends on local law, so ask what this landlord did the last time it happened, and how old the boiler or furnace is.
Which repairs and upkeep are mine, and which are yours?
Why ask it
Light bulbs, air filters, blocked drains, alarm batteries and any yard or balcony upkeep are the usual grey areas. A lease that makes the tenant pay the first part of every repair bill is worth spotting now, because it changes how freely you will report things.
Has this unit or building had pests, mold or leaks, and what was done about them?
Why ask it
You are listening for dates and treatments, and whether the problem came back. A standing pest contract is a reasonable answer. A pause followed by a shrug is your cue to look under the sinks, behind the fridge and at the ceiling corners yourself.
When can you or your contractors enter the apartment, and how much notice do I get?
Why ask it
Entry rules are set by local law in many places, so ask what the lease says and how it works where you are. The awkward stretch is your final weeks, when the unit may be shown to the next tenant, so find out how those visits are scheduled.
Building
How do people get into the building, and what security is there after dark?
Why ask it
Entry systems, cameras, lighting in the parking area and whether anyone is on site at night are all fair to ask about. Then stand by the front door for five minutes: a door propped open, or buzzed for whoever presses, tells you how the system works in practice.
Have there been any break-ins at the building or in the parking lot in the past year?
Why ask it
A manager can speak to what has happened on the property and what changed afterward, such as a new lock or a camera. Many will not describe the wider neighborhood at all, so for that, walk the block after dark and look up the local police crime map if your city publishes one.
Are the locks changed between tenants, and who else holds a key?
Why ask it
Earlier tenants, their friends, cleaners and contractors may all still have copies. Find out whether the lock is rekeyed for you and whether you may change it yourself, since many leases expect the landlord to be given a key if you do.
Do the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors work, and who replaces the batteries?
Why ask it
What a landlord must provide differs from place to place, so ask what applies to this building. Then press the test button on each one the day you move in. It takes seconds, and it is the one check on this page that could matter at three in the morning.
Is a parking space included, what does it cost, and where do guests park?
Why ask it
Permit zones, assigned spaces and street-cleaning days change from one block to the next. If parking is extra, add it to the rent before you compare apartments, and ask what happens to a guest's car left in the lot overnight.
Where do I do laundry: in the unit, in the building, or somewhere else?
Why ask it
In the unit, in the basement and two blocks away make for three different weeks. If the machines are shared, ask how many serve how many apartments and whether they take coins, a card or an app, since one broken washer can mean a month of trips to the laundromat.
Where do mail and packages go, and has theft been a problem?
Why ask it
For anyone who orders a lot, a staffed desk, a locker bank and a pile in the lobby are very different answers. Check where a parcel too big for the mailbox ends up, and get the exact way to write your unit number so your first bank card does not go next door.
How do trash and recycling work, and where are the bins?
Why ask it
Collection days, sorting rules and any fines are the practical half. The other half is location: a chute beside your bedroom wall or bins under your window is a noise and smell question you can settle by walking around the back.
Which amenities are included in the rent, and what are their hours and rules?
Why ask it
A gym, pool or roof deck that closes at eight, needs booking or bars guests is worth less than the listing suggests. Check too whether anything is shut for repairs right now and when it is due to reopen.
Is any building work planned here or next door while I would be living here?
Why ask it
Scaffolding, a roof replacement or a site across the street can mean months of early drilling and covered windows. If a quiet home was part of why you chose the place, ask for the answer in writing and whether tenants get any allowance during the work.
Is the building for sale, or likely to be sold during my lease?
Why ask it
What a sale does to an existing lease depends on where you live, so ask how it would work here. Even when nothing changes on paper, a sale can bring showings through your home and a new owner with different ideas at renewal.
If I asked the people who live here what annoys them most, what would they say?
Why ask it
Every building has an answer: thin walls, a slow elevator, the parking. A manager who names one is being straight with you, and you get to decide whether you can live with it. 'Nothing' means either a remarkable building or someone who is not listening.
House rules
What are the rules on guests, subletting, and someone moving in later?
Why ask it
Leases often cap consecutive guest nights and require approval to add an occupant. If a partner might join you, or you might travel and want to sublet, learn the process now, not after you have broken the lease without knowing it.
What is the pet policy, including fees, weight limits and where animals can go?
Why ask it
A one-time pet fee, a refundable pet deposit and monthly pet rent are three different charges, and a building can ask for all of them. Breed and weight limits vary widely, so if the answer is 'case by case', get approval for your own animal in writing before it moves in.
Are there quiet hours, and how are noise complaints actually handled?
Why ask it
The useful part is the enforcement, not the rule. Ask what happened the last time there was a complaint. A building with a real process protects you both from neighbors and from being reported over ordinary living noise.
What am I allowed to change, and what has to be restored?
Why ask it
Paint, shelves, a wall-mounted television and picture hooks are common sources of move-out deductions. Get written permission for anything you plan, along with what returning it to original condition means in practice.
Is smoking allowed in the units, on balconies or in shared areas?
Why ask it
Smoke travels through vents and under doors, so the policy affects you whether or not you smoke. Ask whether it covers vaping and balconies, and what the manager actually does when someone reports it.
Is there a separate set of building rules, and can I read it before I sign?
Why ask it
Buildings fine tenants for things that never occur to a new arrival: a grill on a balcony, a bike in the hallway, a doormat. The rules often sit in a handbook outside the lease and bind you all the same, so ask for the document itself.
Moving in and out
What day and time do I get the keys, and can I get in earlier if the unit is empty?
Why ask it
If your current lease ends the day this one begins, an afternoon handover leaves you with a loaded truck and nowhere to unload it. Ask about a day's early access, and whether rent is prorated if you start mid-month.
What do you need from me before you hand over the keys, and how must the first payment be made?
Why ask it
Some offices will not release keys without proof of renters insurance, a utility account number and the first payment as a cashier's check or money order instead of a personal check. Getting that list a week ahead beats learning it at the counter with the truck idling outside.
Do I need to reserve an elevator or loading space for moving day, and are moves limited to certain hours?
Why ask it
Plenty of buildings restrict moves to set days, charge a move-in fee or want proof of insurance from the moving company. Learning this the week before can mean rebooking the truck, so raise it as soon as you have a date.
Which utility accounts do I have to open myself, and by when?
Why ask it
Electricity, gas, water and internet may each need an account in your name from the lease start, and some providers take a week or want a deposit. Get the company names for this address, and ask whether the meters are read on the day you take over so the last tenant's usage does not land on your first bill.
Will we do a move-in inspection together, and how do I record existing damage?
Why ask it
Your main evidence when the deposit is settled is a signed condition report backed by your own dated photos. Ask how many days you have to add things you find later, because the scorch mark inside the oven only turns up the first time you cook.
How many keys and fobs do I get, and what happens if I lock myself out?
Why ask it
Count them against the people on the lease, then add the mailbox, the garage and any storage. Ask what a replacement fob costs and how long it takes, and who lets you in at midnight: some buildings charge a lockout fee and others hand you a locksmith's number.
Can you show me the water shutoff and the breaker panel before I move in?
Why ask it
When a hose under the sink lets go, the minutes spent hunting for the valve decide whether you mop a floor or pay for the ceiling below. Have both pointed out in person, and check that the valve actually turns.
What is the move-out process, and what would I need to do to get the full deposit back?
Why ask it
Ask for the checklist now: notice period, professional cleaning, carpets, holes filled, inspection timing. A requirement you first hear about in your final week is one you have no time to meet, and it comes out of the deposit.
Touring, signing and protecting your deposit
Practical guidance for the conversation itself
On the tour
Test what you cannot see from photos
Run the shower and a faucet together to check the pressure, open and close every window, look under the sink and behind the toilet for stains, check your phone signal in each room, and see whether the outlets are where your furniture would need them.
Go back at a different time of day
Evening tells you about noise, parking and lighting on the street. A second visit costs an hour and answers several of the questions on this list better than the landlord will.
Talk to someone who already lives there
A tenant in the hallway or at the mailboxes can tell you about repairs, heating bills and the neighbors in a couple of minutes. It is the nearest thing you will get to a reference for the landlord, and it costs nothing.
Read the lease for these specifically
- The rent increase clause: when the rent can rise and whether anything caps it.
- Notice periods, break fees and whether you keep paying until the unit is rented again.
- Which repairs are yours and which are the landlord's, including appliances that came with the apartment.
- Entry: how much notice the landlord must give before coming in.
- Guest limits, subletting, adding an occupant, and any ban on short-term rentals.
- Cleaning and restoration requirements at the end of the term.
- Anything you stay liable for after you move out, such as utility accounts in your name.
The week before move-in
Book the building before you book the truck
Confirm the key handover time, any elevator or loading reservation and the hours moves are allowed, then pass those to the movers. A truck that turns up outside the permitted window is an expensive way to learn the rule.
Open the accounts early
Set up electricity, gas, water and internet for the lease start date, and buy the renters insurance the lease asks for so you can show proof at handover. Internet installation often needs an appointment, so book that one first.
Walk the unit while it is still empty
Test the alarms, find the water shutoff and the breaker panel, count the keys, and check that the promised cleaning and repairs were done. Problems are easier to photograph, and to raise, before your furniture is standing in front of them.
Protecting your deposit from day one
Document the place before you unpack
Photograph and film every room, including existing marks, appliance interiors and meter readings. Email the set to the landlord the same day, so both of you hold a dated record of how the place was handed over.
Report faults in writing, always
Phone calls vanish. A short email for every fault, even small ones, builds a record that protects you both when a repair is slow and when you are blamed at the end for something that was already there.
Ask for the inspection checklist early
Requesting the move-out standards in the first month, not the last week, gives you time to meet them and to question anything that goes beyond what the lease says.
Common mistakes
- Comparing rents without adding utilities, parking and any pet or amenity fees.
- Signing on the strength of a model unit rather than the one you will live in.
- Accepting verbal promises about repairs, painting or a rent freeze rather than an emailed confirmation.
- Paying a holding deposit before asking whether it comes back, and before reading the lease terms on renewal and early exit.
- Skipping the move-in photographs, which leaves you with nothing to show when a deduction is disputed.